Philosophy

The Carolina Friends Early Schools' philosophy of education blends the Quaker emphasis on the uniqueness and worth of each individual with the work of development psychologists and the legacy of traditional nursery schools. The Schools' curriculum is child-centered and play-oriented. Children learn best through play. Indeed the foundation for reading, mathematics, and other advanced cognitive skills is actually laid before age six through concrete, manipulative, sensorimotor modes of activity.

The Early Schools' role is to provide a challenging and nurturing environment in which children may acquire this foundation through play. In such an environment children practice and learn social skills with their peers. They learn fine and large motor skills. They learn the joy of creating with art and other resource materials. They encounter the worlds of numbers, shapes, signs, letters, and words as such tools are needed to complete a project or activity. Through these experiences children reach new levels of independence and responsibility.